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Posted By: Edwin264 .220 Swift - 01/11/18
Anyone ever kill a deer with a .220 Swift? If so, what bullet did you use? I’ve killed a few with a Nosler 60 grain partition. I’ve even killed hogs with it too.
Posted By: TheKid Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
Scenarshooter has killed everything with a Swift. Big trophy sized animals too not just dinks and does. I think I remember him saying he used plain old Hornady soft points to boot. No replacement for placement.
Posted By: ruffedgrouse Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
have used Hornady 60 gr. SP with perfect success.
Posted By: hanco Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I had one, but the 1in 14 twist wouldn’t let me shoot anything over 55 grain bullets. I tried the 60 gr Partition, it wouldn’t stabilize. I want to get one of the 1in8 Tikkas. The 62 Barnes would be a pig slayer.
Posted By: SKane Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
Originally Posted by hanco
I want to get one of the 1in8 Tikkas. The 62 Barnes would be a pig slayer.


Como 'se huh? In a Swift?
Posted By: Reloder28 Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I hunted with a Swift for many years. Many Whitetails bit the dust from it. It was a Ruger 77 I bought in 1977. It would string 10 shots together with regularity using Norma 55 gr.

One of those rifles I was an idiot for ever turning loose.
Posted By: hanco Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
They are 22-250’s
Posted By: Jim_Knight Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I had a neck fusion in August of 2000, so that early winter I used a Swift. I had a takeoff Mod 700 classic barrel and put it on a Mod 7 action, set in its synthetic stock. I also had a muzzlebrake put on it ( only way my wife would sign off on hunting so soon after surgery! ha) I put a Sightron Compact 3x9 on it and used Federal Premium factory loads with 55gr Trophy Bondeds. I killed a medium sized late season muley in Utah (December Antlerless) One of my twin daughters was graduating from Air force boot camp in San Antone in February. After her graduation, I went on to Leakey, Tx and shot a big axis doe, then two Blackbuck (both over 20"!) The rancher liked the rifle so much he traded me a discount on an oryx hunt later that May. It was a waicked little killer. From what I can understand, the .22-250 was "the orginal Swift", but I don't know. I had a 22-250 Ackley Improved with a 1 in 9 twist that was great with the Hornady 68 OTM buulet on coyotes/prairie dogs. I then had a 22/6mm Remington ( .224 TTH) made up in an 8" twist that did fine with the 64gr Power Point and the 75gr Scirocco. The fast 22s do work...good luck to you Pard.
Posted By: jstevens Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I've shot several does with the 220 and basic 55 Sierras, probably in the neighborhood of 15. I've never had one run off, but I haven't shot any big bucks with it either.
Posted By: pete53 Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I own many 22 caliber rifles including pre-64 Winchesters,Ruger no.1`s ,700 Remingtons, , wildcats too. there is something about that old swift that is just a little louder and nastier on a prairie dog ,coyote ,deer or whatever. 220 Swift will always be the KING of 22`s !
Posted By: northern_dave Re: .220 Swift - 01/11/18
I started my youngest son with a 220 swift on white tail. 2 years in a row he bang flopped a doe with 50 gr PSP factory loaded winchester ammunition. I was uncomfortable with the delicate bullet, it killed like the smiteus touch though.
Posted By: Jim_Knight Re: .220 Swift - 01/12/18
At the time I hunted with that Swift, Hornady loaded the 50gr Vmax. It shot 1/2 under that 55gr Federal load. I killed coyotes/other varmints with it too. The take off barrel I had that Mod 7 came off a Mod 700 Classic, I had bought that rifle from an old guy that used the Hornady 60gr on deprivation deer hunts out here. I wanted the stock/action for a 6.5/284, so luckily I had it to put together for my "Handicap" hunting, ha. I don't see any .220 Swift factory ammo around here now, anyone still load for it?
Posted By: Swifty52 Re: .220 Swift - 01/12/18
Originally Posted by Jim_Knight
I don't see any .220 Swift factory ammo around here now, anyone still load for it?


You can order it in 5 or 6 different brands. I haven’t seen anyone stock it around here in 15 years or so. Guy at the LGS where I bought the rifle said he quit stocking it a few years back, but would order it for me. No demand.
Posted By: Edwin264 Re: .220 Swift - 01/12/18
My Swift is a Savage heavy, fluted, stainless barreled single shot with a synthetic stock. It shoots like a laser.
Posted By: TATELAW Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
I've used the 55gr Hornady SP with excellent results.
Posted By: WyoCoyoteHunter Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
I have used mine with 64 gr. WW bullets, even killed one with the old WW factory 46gr. hollow point.. Stunt shooting for sure..
Posted By: keith Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
PO Ackley killed many, many deer with the 220 Swift.
Posted By: battue Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
Frank Glaser killed hundreds of Sheep, Mt Goats, Moose and a few Grizzly Bears with his. And probably a couple thousand Wolves. Claimed it to be the fastest killer of any rifle he ever used.

Posted By: mmgravy Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
Of my various fast twist .224 rifles, my .220 Swift M70 SA push feed would be the last one I would part with. It has an 8-twist Brux barrel with a Hunters Edge stock. It really likes 75 grain VLD's. I have some 80 grain JLK bullets to try in it as well as a variety of loads with 75 grain SII's to play with. I have shot both deer and antelope with the VLD's.
Posted By: Blackheart Re: .220 Swift - 01/13/18
I've killed deer with a .22-250. I didn't notice that it killed them any quicker or deader than my .243, .30-06, .308 or .30-30. I have a hard time believing there's any magic in the extra 100 fps or so of the swift that would make it kill noticeably quicker than the .22-250.
Posted By: Jericho Re: .220 Swift - 01/14/18
One of my dad's friends killed a few black bear with a Swift and a 222 REM in PENN.
Posted By: hanco Re: .220 Swift - 01/20/18
How big are Black bears
Posted By: pete53 Re: .220 Swift - 01/20/18
black bears in some areas get 500- and over 600 lbs .
Posted By: Tejano Re: .220 Swift - 01/22/18
Battue is right on. Also P.O. Ackley's comments on the Swift. It all comes down to the bullets and Ackley's were like the Trophy bonded but with less lead. Some times I consider what would be the worst thing for someone to shoot at me with and the Swift is one I really would not want to get shot at with.
Posted By: lightning Re: .220 Swift - 01/23/18
I worked with a great farm boy from Sudbury, Vermont by the name of Jim Laduke back in the 70's and 80's in Rutland, Vermont. He took me out to his Dad's farm in Sudbury to hunt a few times, and showed me his dads favorite spot to hunt deer. It was the very high spot of the farm acreage, where he could see in every direction anywhere from 200-600 yards of planted fields. He shot well over 100 deer from that stand, and all with the Swift, he swore by it. He was a reloader, so not sure what bullet or load he was using. Always wanted a swift since the day Jim took me there, but to this day have never owned one. Maybe someday.
Posted By: Jericho Re: .220 Swift - 01/24/18
If I remember correctly the black bears that he shot were around the 150-200 pound range.
Posted By: minnmarcus Re: .220 Swift - 02/01/18
I've shot several mule deer and about a dozen antelope with the Swift, and there was only one mulie I had to shoot twice ( first shot too far back) One of the antelope I shot at 550 yds and the bullet was found along its rear spine area after traveling the length of it's body. Shooting a Nosler Solid Based Boat Tail. They don't make that bullet anymore, unfortunately.
Posted By: RMerta Re: .220 Swift - 02/01/18
I have a old tang safety Ruger 220 Swift that will go into my casket with me. Old lightning is it’s name. I shoot the 50 grain SPSX .
Posted By: jndd Re: .220 Swift - 02/01/18
I love 220 swift stories anyone else have one.
Joe
Posted By: prairie dog shooter Re: .220 Swift - 02/08/18
I've killed a ton of white tail deer with the Swift and a 63 grain Sierra. Never needed a second shot. Never saw a reason to change.
Posted By: pete53 Re: .220 Swift - 02/08/18
on a real humid evening before dark when we shot our swifts a the target range we had a vapor trail when you fired your 220 swift ,that was always impressive !
Posted By: hanco Re: .220 Swift - 02/15/18
A vapor trail would be cool!!!
Posted By: CCCC Re: .220 Swift - 02/15/18
Originally Posted by hanco
A vapor trail would be cool!!!
You can make and see mist if you load your Swift hot with a thin-skinned bullet.
Posted By: Edwin264 Re: .220 Swift - 02/15/18
Like maybe with one of the bullets designed for the Hornet.
Posted By: montanabadger Re: .220 Swift - 02/18/18
I've killed a few with a 22-250 with 55 grain soft point hornady ammo back in the 80's. Pretty close to a swift, worked fine.
Posted By: pete53 Re: .220 Swift - 02/19/18
my swifts have not been out of the gun vault for a long time,after reading these stories I think I will put a 220 swift out in my deer stand this fall to crack a nice buck if I get a chance ? a good friend of mine was a sniper in the service was over in the sand countries for a year and also was a sniper at the whitehouse so this sniper know`s how to shoot . his favorite coyote gun for coyotes is a 220 swift in a Ruger #1 and for the last 25 years runnin dogs on coyotes he swears by the swift 220 and he`s killed a lot of coyotes and deer too with his swift 220.
Posted By: mooshoo Re: .220 Swift - 02/19/18
I killed a small buck with the 220 swift with a 60gr hornady hollow point, he went down fast just like lighting, I need to find another with the faster twist!
Posted By: scenarshooter Re: .220 Swift - 02/19/18
Lights out......
Posted By: pete53 Re: .220 Swift - 02/19/18
Originally Posted by mooshoo
I killed a small buck with the 220 swift with a 60gr hornady hollow point, he went down fast just like lighting, I need to find another with the faster twist!

you might have buy a custom barrel ,8 or 9 twist for a 220 swift in a factory gun would be hard to get. or maybe go to a barnes x-bullet ?
Posted By: mooshoo Re: .220 Swift - 02/19/18
need a custom with the tighter twist just need more fun tickets to get it done!
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